Chapter 111
Early in the morning, Lu Yuechuan was busy dealing with official documents and fighting against the Qiang people. Although Wei Houchang brought food and fodder when he came, no one knew how long the war would last, and the county had to cooperate from time to time.
He wrote a few words on the paper, and then heard the sound of wheels rolling across the ground. "Sir, why are you here so early today?"
Lin Shuge smiled and said, "I got up early today, so I asked Ayuan to push me over here."
Lin Qingyuan behind him was trying his best to make his figure smaller, but when he heard this, he immediately bowed and greeted Lu Yuechuan.
When Lin Shuge saw him like this, he knew what was going on and looked at him with a smile.
"Ayuan, it's a good thing that you're here. Your brother and I have been busy recently and forgot to ask you about your homework. I will test you after I'm done. Come see me in an hour." Lu Yuechuan said after looking at Lin Qingyuan.
Lin Qingyuan looked miserable. "Mr. Lu, I've been busy these days, so can you give me a few days off for my homework?"
"Really? How come Xuan's homework has been given to me?"
"I..." Lin Qingyuan looked at Lin Shuge for help, hoping that his brother would save him quickly.
"Okay, Achuan, don't scare him. He has been really frightened these days. Just give him a few days." Lin Shuge finally pleaded under his brother's wet eyes.
"Okay, leave it to me in a few days." Lu Yuechuan didn't make things difficult for him. He said a few words of encouragement and then let him go.
Lin Qingyuan felt as if he had been pardoned. He bowed to Lu Yuechuan and quickly slipped away. After he left, Lu Yuechuan looked at Lin Shuge carefully, up and down, back and forth for a long time, which made Lin Shuge get goosebumps.
"Why are you looking at me like that?"
"I finally understand why Wei Houchang succeeded in such a short time. My lord, you are so soft-hearted. He pretends to be pitiful and act like a spoiled child, and you have to surrender and let him do whatever he wants." Lu Yuechuan looked as if he saw through him. He put down the brush in his hand, supported his chin with one hand, and had a half-smile in his eyes.
Lin Shuge was frightened by his laughter. He coughed heavily, scratched his forehead with his fingers, and then said, "Did you figure it out?"
Lu Yuechuan was so disappointed that they couldn't make each other happy. "Have you ever tried to hide it? Just from the way Marquis Wei looks at you, anyone can tell that you two have already made it."
Lin Shuge felt a little uncomfortable with what he said. He grabbed the armrests of the wheelchair with both hands and leaned back. "Well, I'll review the documents first."
"Sir, your injury has not yet healed, you must rest." Lu Yuechuan seemed to be possessed by an old mother, took a few steps forward and looked at the dark shadow in his eyes.
"It's just that I didn't sleep well these days. It's no big deal." Lin Shuge replied indifferently.
"Are you worried about Lord Wei again?" Lu Yuechuan was enjoying the fun.
Unexpectedly, Lin Shuge actually admitted it. He nodded and said, "I have been restless these past few days since Zhongxuan left. In the past, when I was in Ganzhou, I was far away, and secondly, the battles there were mostly defensive. This is his first real expedition, and he is facing the vicious Qiang people. I am afraid..."
"Your Excellency must trust Commander Wei. For a general as talented as him, this battle is only the first one that will make him famous." Lu Yuechuan knew that he was worried and interrupted her worrying.
As the two were talking, a messenger outside the door came to report that an alchemist was demonstrating his magical powers in the county, attracting the people to come and watch.
After listening to this, Lin Shuge said, "It's nothing. Just watch and make sure it doesn't cause any commotion. Also, keep an eye on him and don't let him deceive the people."
The soldier replied, "Yes, sir."
"My lord, don't you believe in these immortals and alchemists? The previous emperors trusted these people very much. Maybe they really have some powerful skills, such as collecting magical herbs to make elixirs that can make people become immortals." Lu Yuechuan said after seeing the soldiers leave.
"Don't you also not believe it? What way to become an immortal? It's just a lie," Lin Shuge stamped his seal on an official document, and as if he remembered something, he immediately looked up and replied to him, "Wait, let him come to see me." He suddenly shouted to the outside of the door.
"What's the matter, my Lord?"
"I actually forgot their benefits." Lin Shuge clapped his hands. With the experience of countless predecessors who traveled through time, how could he miss these people if he wanted to make gunpowder? It is said that gunpowder was invented by this group of Taoists when they blew up the furnace while refining elixirs. However, it depends on whether this alchemist has the real ability. It would be best if he can refine elixirs.
Lu Yuechuan looked at him strangely as if he had received a windfall. He did not expect that the messenger who had just left would come back and report to the two of them, "Sir, the Taoist priest just now said he wanted to see you and is now waiting outside the county government office."
"Let him in." Lin Shuge said to the officer, "Achuan, he can be of great use."
"I, Fang Yuan, greet the Magistrate of Lin County and the Magistrate of Lu County."
Lin Shuge saw that he was wearing a Taoist robe and had a beautiful beard, and he really looked like an immortal. "Where are you from, Taoist priest? Are you good at alchemy?"
"I came from Yandu. I saw the hardships of all living beings along the way and refined a lot of immortality elixirs. However, these elixirs are easy to obtain, but the immortal herbs for refining them are not. I see that your eyebrows are clear and bright, and it seems that you have become an immortal. You only need to take my elixir, and you can ascend to paradise forever and live in endless happiness."
Fang Yuan's tone was gentle, his attitude was distant but not flattering, and there seemed to be a light in his eyes. Judging from his appearance, he really did look like an accomplished person. No matter how hard Lin Shuge looked at him, he could not tell that this man was a liar.
Lin Shuge smiled faintly and said nothing, "I dare not get involved in the art of longevity. Don't you see that those who seek this way are emperors and blessed people? I would like to ask the Taoist priest to help me make ordinary elixirs, preferably ones that can explode the furnace."
"Ordinary elixir? One that can blow up a furnace?" Fang Yuan almost couldn't maintain his image as an immortal.
Even Lu Yuechuan who was standing next to him was becoming more and more confused. The alchemists who made elixirs all boasted about the ability to ascend to heaven on the spot or attain immortality. Why did the adults let them do something like blowing up the furnace?
"I'm a rather strange person. It doesn't matter to me whether I can make pills or not. I just like to watch the furnace explode. If the Taoist priest can help me, I will definitely reward him handsomely." Lin Shuge's smile became more and more unfathomable.
Fang Yuan and Lu Yuechuan looked at him as if he were a freak. Lin Shuge patiently asked, "Master, when you make elixirs, you like to use saltpeter, sulfur, etc., right?"
Fang Yuan's expression finally changed. "How did you know, sir?"
"Don't worry about how I know this. I need you to use saltpeter, sulfur, and charcoal. Refine these three in the right proportions. The louder the explosion, the better."
One sulfur, two nitrate and three charcoal. This was the formula that almost every time traveler would recite when Lin Shuge read novels in the past. But it was difficult for him to make gunpowder by himself. But aren't there professional blast furnaces now? With the addition of Xiangli Gu, he didn't believe that he couldn't do it. As for charcoal, brick kilns can now burn both bricks and limestone as well as charcoal.
Fang Yuan was shocked and said in a trembling voice, "Sir, what are you going to do? If you don't do this well, someone could die."
"So I asked someone to provide you with a wide area. Try to throw it when you need to bomb."
"Sir, I... I can't do this. I'll take my leave now... Please seek help from someone else." Fang Yuan had lost all his airs as a hermit and was even a little scared. Money and wealth were not as important as life. It was better to leave.
"If you can refine it, I will recommend you to Envoy Wei." Lin Shuge said slowly, "You must have asked about me, so you should know that I have a good relationship with Envoy Wei. With my recommendation, he will most likely agree."
"Sir, this is what you said. You can't lie to me." Fang Yuan, who had already stretched out one leg and was ready to run away, stepped back and said.
"Of course, I never lie."
"That's settled then, but sir, I just arrived here and have nowhere to stay..." Fang Yuan asked tentatively.
"Don't worry. Since I've asked you to do something, I won't treat you unfairly. I'll have someone take you to your residence in a while."
"Thank you very much, sir." Fang Yuan changed his previous attitude and said with a smile.
After the officers took him away, Lu Yuechuan could not help but say, "My lord, you know he is a liar, so what's the point of keeping him? And why do you need him to refine... the elixir that will blow up the furnace? I heard that only alchemists with poor magic will blow up the furnace." Who would specially hire an alchemist to blow up the furnace? It's not like he's crazy about becoming an immortal or has too much money to burn.
"Achuan, many of those alchemists who blew up the furnace think that this is a bad thing, but from another perspective, if we can make this power that can blow up the furnace into a weapon, whether it is for attacking a city or fighting between two armies, the power will definitely be very impressive."
"Sir, you mean... the weapon is not a sword or a spear, but a furnace?" Lu Yuechuan was as shocked as Lin Shuge. In fact, he still wanted to become an immortal. "Then... that would be really interesting."
He suddenly sat up from his chair, walked around the room countless times, and said happily: "We must ask Fang Yuan and Xiang Ligu to hurry up and make it." He clapped his hands, "It would be great if there was another alchemist like this, but it's a pity that he is not in Yandu. There are many liars and fools in Yandu."
Lin Shuge was at a loss whether to laugh or cry. What was he talking about? What does it mean that there are many liars and fools? Isn't this just an insult to those nobles who are pursuing the way to immortality?
"And, sir, this matter must be carried out in secret regardless of whether it succeeds or not. Except for Xiangli Gu, all the craftsmen and their families must be registered, and these people are not allowed to leave Qingquan unless necessary." After the excitement, Lu Yuechuan gradually came to his senses, thinking that these must not be leaked.
"Well, you take care of this matter. In fact, I had asked Xiangli Gu to start trying it a long time ago, but the gunpowder produced has always been unstable. Fang Yuan happened to come, it was really God's help to me. It's a pity that I couldn't make a batch for Zhongxuan to take with him." His tone was full of regret.
"My lord, you wish that Marquis Wei would be like a god descending from the sky, without any danger at all. No wonder he can't let go of you. No one can let go of him being spoiled like this." Lu Yuechuan joked with a smile.
"Don't talk nonsense. This thing is not only useful now. Maybe it can be used in other places in the future." Lin Shuge pointed in another direction, where there were more powerful enemies.
Lu Yuechuan knew what he meant and stopped smiling. "Captain Wei has chosen to act swiftly this time. I think there should be news soon, right? Did the villagers who were training in Pingxiang also go with him?"
"After they went, Zhongxuan saw that some of them were really good at archery and they also took the initiative to ask to fight the Qiang people, so Zhongxuan organized them into teams." He looked at the sky outside and said, "I hope it's as you said. However, Zhongxuan is brave and his soldiers are good at fighting. They should be back soon."
But Xie Chen encountered some trouble.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com